Perbacco / Barbacco

May 9, 2014Updated: May 9, 2014 1:51am

These two restaurants, owned by Umberto Gibin and chef Staffan Terje, have created a dining dilemma: Which one should you choose? Both have great food and great service. The environment at Perbacco is more formal, the dishes that look to Liguria and Piedmont are a bit more involved, refined and pricey. Barbacco is more casual, with more counter and bar-table seating and a menu that spans more regions. At Perbacco you'll get something like a tartare of veal loin and truffle-crusted braised short rib; at Barbacco, bruschetta with Tuscan chicken liver pate, and Sicilian meatballs with raisins and pine nuts. At either place, don't pass up the pastas or salumi.